According to Wikipedia, a wiki is a "page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language." One or more people can enter information into the wiki, which can be edited from any computer with internet access.
Wikispaces has created a "tour" of their tools and resources here, with video tutorials on how to get up and running and the basics of editing pages.
Educational Wikis is a space created by Wikispaces to list examples of how wikis are being used in schools.
LearningWeb2 has a fairly comprehensive listing of possible tools to use and embed in your wiki. Be sure to check them out at school; many are blocked by content filtering systems.
The Edublogger has posted an article with several references to ways in which teachers are using blogs in their classrooms. Many of the strategies, including assigning students roles and requiring comments, work equally well with wikis.
Netiquette is particularly important in collaborative projects. Follow these simple guidelines to make sure you and your students are net-savvy wiki users!
At Discovery Elementary School in Buffalo, Mrs. Koopman has a class wiki for her 5th grade students.
The Qatar Academy posts detailed instructions for students to create their own wikis as research projects. While student wikis are protected, the pages in which the teachers set up the assignment are viewable.
Mr. Jones, also of the Qatar Academy, has his entire curriculum, including rubrics, expectations, and resource links available for students and parents.
Webquests such as After the War might be organized as a wiki.
A teacher in Alabama provides her Geometry and Algebra II students with detailed support for passing the math portion of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam.
Classroom Projects
Students work in teams to research and report on their assigned regions in Les Regions de France. The discussion forums on each page are used by the group and by the teacher to share information, resources, and reminders throughout the project.
A Broken World is a student-created wiki textbook covering the period from the beginning of World War I through the Cold War. The "textbook" was created over a period of 4 months by students in a 9th grade Modern World History class.
Read research about pirates on the wiki created by GATE students at ARRRPirates. The project from last year asked students to follow specific research guidelines in creating an informative website.
The Middle School Math Forum is a place for students at two different school sites to share information and resources to support their understanding of math. This site was the initial implementation, during the 2007-2008 school year.
Terry the Tennis Ball project is a story started by the teacher, and finished by his students in Australia.
Beyond School Borders: Collaboration
Voices of the World - a structured collaboration opportunity for primary classrooms representing 33 schools on 4 continents.
Morpheus Fortuna is a traveling bog turtle, visiting classrooms around Pennsylvania. Each school he visits adds a page to the wiki detailing his adventures during the week he is with them.
Getting Started
Why Wikis?
According to Wikipedia, a wiki is a "page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language." One or more people can enter information into the wiki, which can be edited from any computer with internet access.Table of Contents
Resources
Educational Wikis
Homework and Classroom Support
Classroom Projects
Beyond School Borders: Collaboration